


Resistance

by thedragontongue



Category: Z Nation (TV)
Genre: Blood, F/M, Fighting, Gore, Parasite mention, This fic takes place in the episode Zombie Baby Daddy, mental health mention, sad fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-07-15 22:52:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7242043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedragontongue/pseuds/thedragontongue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassandra tries to take back control of herself before its too late.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Misery on my Mind

**“She’s not Cassandra, not anymore---” -10K  
**

* * *

 

_Do you hear it? The blood running through your veins? Do you smell their flesh and sense their fear?  I know you do. Fight to Kill. Fight to protect me. Fight to live. Nobody leaves. You must always follow my orders, Cassandra._ Murphy’s voice and thoughts echoed in her mind ever since he brought her back to life.

_Life is an understatement,_ Cassandra thought back feebly to herself, she wondered if Murphy could hear her own thoughts. _What you gave me wasn’t life, it was imprisonment._

Too far gone from consciousness, Cassandra could barely control her actions anymore. Her other self, the self Murphy controlled; the parasite that runs through her blood controlled her most of the time. The Z part tried to eliminate any trace of her former self and personality she had left. And well, what she had left that remained, the parasite pushed far away into the deep recess of her subconscious mind.

She couldn’t cry out or scream for help but she made damn sure to remember why she was there in the first place.

 As Cassandra succumbed to sleep, she desperately held on to what few memories of her past she had left before the parasite tried to take them away again.  
  
_My name is Cassandra_. She thought.  _My friends care about me. 10k cares about me.  I am not alone. I am safe.  I am not alone. I am saf_ \----.

Unfortunately, all Cassandra knew after that was the emptiness and desolation of her subconscious. A dark and pitiful dreamless sleep--- and then?

 Nothing. 

Cassandra couldn’t feel, hear, or see anything anymore. As she faded into nothingness, it frightened her not knowing if she would come back this time and what she would wake up to when and if she ever did.


	2. Folie À Deux  (Madness of Two)

**“She wouldn't hurt us. Not really.” -Addy**

**"I wouldn't be so sure." -Doc**

* * *

 

After days of nothingness Cassandra finally felt the warmth of the sun hitting her face. She felt the warm air fill her lungs and heard the sound of wind rustling through the trees. 

 _Is this real?_ Cassandra thought. _Am I me again? Am I back or is this heaven?_

 It was a such a welcoming but frightening feeling to wake up to after it felt like you’ve been dead or at least you thought you were.

 _No this isn’t heaven. I’m alive. This is real._  She was back. Fully aware and alive or so she thought.  As she gained back her sense of surroundings, Cassandra began to notice that the wind was blowing through her hair. _I am real_.  And she was running after someone, a familiar figure.

 _Who am I running running after and why?_  

She tried to remember but the parasite this time had blocked all former memories she had.  Cassandra attempted to call out to the figure but all that came out was a harsh snarl.

 The figure in front of her ran faster after that and she didn’t blame them for it.

 _I’m not myself._ Cassandra sadly realized, as she tried to stop herself from running after the figure. It was useless.   _I’m not myself--- not anymore._

The parasite controlled her fully now. feeding off and controlling her from the inside and out.

_I need to warn that person! I need to tell them to get away from me; I can’t control myself----._

Suddenly Cassandra remembered what recently happened before the chase. Murphy went away with his baby daughter. He ordered her to kill anyone who followed him. Cassandra’s friends made a slip, 10k and her fought and now she was running after him to finish the kill.

Cassandra’s heart dropped.

 _I’m not going to kill 10k._ Cassandra thought, hoping that somehow this time Murphy could hear her thoughts.  _Please Murphy, stop making me do this. I don’t want to hurt him. I never wanted to hurt him or anyone I care about!  Damn you for keeping me alive. Fuck you for making me your pet! I want to be me again! Stop this! Murphy please, if you can hear me…._

Yet like always, ever since she first got there; her pleading was answered with silence.


	3. Spiral

**“I don’t think she’s in a talking mood.” -Addy**

**“She’ll talk to me.” – 10k**

* * *

Every step Cassandra took the distance between her and 10k became closer.

_Run away, Tommy! I don’t want to hurt you!_ Cassandra screamed in her head as she tried again and again to take back control of herself.

 The parasite inside her was unmoved by her actions. While the Z part in her hungered for blood and flesh although some aspects of her humanity that feebly remained wanted otherwise.

  _Let me out! Stop this, please! Don’t hurt him… Don’t make me hurt him…  I love him._

_Nobody leaves._ The parasite whispered back to her for the first time and it faintly reminded her of Murphy’s voice...

_Nobody leaves._ The parasite said again.   _That includes you, Cassandra._

Hearing that just made Cassandra frightened even more.

_Don’t be afraid._ Cassandra told herself, trying to find what comfort remained inside her head. _I’m not afraid._

_\--But you are. You are afraid of what you are now and what you’ll become in the end._ The parasite said back instantly.

_I’m stronger than you think. I’ve survived this long.  I’ll find a way…. even if it means dying._ Cassandra said bravely.

_Ah well, I doubt you even have the strength to do anything anymore, much less die. I won’t let you. You just can’t admit it to yourself that you are weak. You need me.  You just don’t want to admit the truth._

The parasite started to laugh at her hoarsely.

_The truth you speak of is an absolute lie. All of it.  I won’t give you the satisfaction of controlling me any longer._

In a final attempt to gain back her body and mind, Cassandra detached herself from everything she held onto. The bad memories, her resurrection, and attachment to everything she held dearly. The pain Cassandra felt now was excruciating. It was as if brain and body was being clawed, ripped, and burned all at the same time.  

She shivered as she mentally detached the parasite from herself; switching control and finally putting it in the recess of her subconscious where it rightfully belonged.

 Breaking back into her body was harder than she initially thought a long _long_ time ago.

In the beginning to her it was an impenetrable invisible wall but hoped her efforts of her past attempts were not in vain. Bit by bit every previous failed attempt of gaining back control, she noticed now that she had  actually weakened some spots.  
  
When she saw it Cassandra smiled happily to herself. Little cracks of light seeping through the darkness.

Extending her mind a little bit further, Cassandra pushed through to capture back what she had lost. Immensely determined, she began reaching towards the bright light in the far end of the darkness she wound up in. And with that, Cassandra entered the bright light not knowing what will happen next.

Yet everything came flooding back to her now.

Renewal. Revival. Restoration. Resurrection. 

True to self. True of being. True of form. 

Power trickled through every fiber of her being and pooled cool and fresh in the well of her mind. It was as if her own body was welcoming her back.   
  
Slowly, she opened her eyes adjusting to the brightness of the sun and understanding of her surroundings. The feeling of a gentle breeze, the smell earth and grass, and the sound of life everywhere----made Cassandra smile like she never had before.

She finally won.

“10k!” She shouted, hoping to get his attention. It felt so good to hear her own voice again. To her astonishment 10k stopped running and turned around as soon as figured out it was her speaking.

“Cassandra?” He replied in amazement, walking cautiously back to where she was. “I-Is that really you? Are you back?”

“Yes.” She said as she started to cry. Her face now wet with tears. “I’m back.”

As 10k got closer to her, he extended a hand cautiously to her face, brushing away few strands of hair. He stood there and his eyes full of astonishment, slack jawed and began to smile feebly as he started to cry as well, “Cassandra.”

Cassandra loved to hear to her name on his lips. 

She smiled back at 10k. Her arms stretching out towards him. "I'm really back!"

He held onto her tightly and she welcomed the warmth of his hug gladly.

_I've missed you so much._ Cassandra thought silently. _When we have more time to talk---I want to tell you everything.  I never wanted Murphy to save me. If I knew what I would have gone through, what Murphy put me through, put the team through, and especially you through... I would have wanted to be dead._

_I'm so sorry for putting you through this._  
I'm so sorry Tommy.   
  
I love you.   
  
I love you.   
  
I love---

Suddenly, Cassandra felt strange.

_Oh no. Please no..._  
  
_Don't take me back. I got out. I'm safe._  
  
_You can hurt me anymore._  
  
_I need to talk to 10k before its too late._

She tried to tell 10k what was going on but all that came out of her lips was nonsense.

All it took was a final swift wave of nausea to hit her and in an instant she collapsed in 10k’s arms---and then she was gone as quickly as she came.

The darkness that surrounded her returned, smothering her like a thick blanket of fog. It was different now. More alive than usual. In fact, it was angry that she had left.  _  
  
See! What did I tell you?_ The parasite greeted her return. _All you’ll feel now is suffering. Well  more than what you’ve experienced before anyways…_

The parasite laughed at her. 

_And you thought you had it all planned out. Too bad your thoughts are connected with mine, eh? Now that's what I call troublesome!_

_Ah bah, regardless we're a grand pair you and I. You'll see that, once I control all of you._

_You'll understand.  Otherwise, I'll make you understand._

_So how about you make up your mind, Cassandra?_

_..._ _Oh wait, you can't!_  
  
Its laughter echoed throughout the darkness as Cassandra wept, alone and afraid in the dark emptiness of her mind.  
  
She was too far gone and weaker than ever to do anything of significance now. 

It was beginning to look like any plans of escape was just a repetitious spiraling circle of madness that seemingly had no end. 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 23/9/16 
> 
> Whoooo got caught up in a lot of things. Been editing it for a while now. Finally figured it was time to post another chapter. Hope you enjoy.
> 
> 24/9/16 
> 
> Still editing and adding more stuff into this chapter. I'll write the next chapter when I have the time!


	4. What We Leave Behind

"Don't try to make me feel better about it. I don't wanna feel better about it. There's nothing to feel better about. Nothing. That's what I want to feel." - 10K

* * *

 

              Cassandra was exactly what she feared she would become. A ravenous and ruthless Z; completely stripped of all humanity and morality. A shell of what she once was now searching to find and consume anything to fill its emptiness…

 _10k! NO!_ Cassandra cried out to herself as she saw 10k fall off the nearby cliff in a last ditch effort to evade her grasp. _I’m sorry…oh my god. I’m so sorry._

_I can’t—I can’t control myself anymore....I’m not the one doing this…_

_I wish there was some way to tell you.  I can’t control it anymore… I can’t lose you._

_Please don’t be dead, Tommy._

_I love you._

Cassandra said before the darkness consumed her, clouding her senses.

Next thing Cassandra knew, she woke to find her body against 10k’s; scratching and clawing at his head wanting to draw more blood.

Bruised and bloodied from the fall, 10k struggled to stop Cassandra from hurting him further.

All Cassandra could do now was watch the inevitable happen.

“Stop it!”, 10k begged to Cassandra she scratched and clawed at him even more.

 _I can’t…_ Cassandra sobbed to herself. _I’m not myself anymore. That isn’t me…that’s not the real me._

Cassandra held 10k’s head firmly now and twisted it with a sickening crunch. Cassandra realized she was going to crush his skull…

 _You should be grateful._ The parasite snickered, coming out of the shadows of her mind to toy with her further.  _I could have done away with you all together--- but now you’re going to see his death and what you will truly become! You’re the first of many, sweetheart._

_So, forget humanity! It was always such a fickle thing about humans.  Too many emotions…all you need with me is two._

_Rage and hunger._

_It was always there in the back of your mind.  Now with me around---those feelings are front and center, Baby!_

_Point blank, you’re a fighter Cassandra but you’re tired._

_All you will ever need is me and Murphy._  

_So like I said forget him and give in… your 10k is  going to be dead soon anyways…_

They watched as Cassandra hissed at 10k, her grip tightening----The parasite laughed as it waited for her response.  


Before Cassandra could even respond to the parasite, 10k did what needed to be done.  
  
  
In a quick and efficient motion, he stabbed Cassandra in the neck.

 _No pain._ Cassandra thought as she started to cry again. _There's no pain..._

As she started to fade away for the final time, Cassandra realized the parasite’s control was fading as well.  
  
  
  
Cassandra blinked and saw through her hazy vision 10k staring back her, solemn and tearful.  


Cassandra fell towards him, collapsing, slack and near death. Blood dripping from her mouth and the gaping wound 10k made on her neck.  


 Cassandra smiled as she muttered out her final words to 10k.

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. :) 
> 
> Comments and critiques are welcome.

**Author's Note:**

> Hold on folks, this story is going to be hella sad.


End file.
